Formosa Neijia

It dawned on me today just how much the seasons affect my training. When fall approaches, my body naturally wants to conserve a bit of energy by cutting back on lots of sweat-inducing practice in favor of standing, meditation, qigong, etc. This naturally follows the cycles of nature.

Qigong/TCM theory stipulates that we are part of our environment and that what happens inside the body is mirrored by what happens outside the body. Internal and external events are connected.

After all, animals naturally hibernate or slow down physical activity when winter approaches. They also store food or fat for winter, clear signs that the seasons are changing.

As an IMA practitioner, I’ve always felt the pull to do the same when I feel the first autumn breeze.

I went outside today to practice, but I didn’t feel much like doing anything strenuous. I stopped for a moment, closed my eyes and stood there quietly. The wind blew through the leaves on the trees. The city was mostly quiet even though it wasn’t early morning. My shorts and t-shirt seemed inadequate for the temperature for the first time in a long time. I naturally felt a bit calmer than normal.

All these signs pointed to a change in the weather and a natural shift in training. It’s time to slow down and practice even more internally than usual.

Just curious, does anyone else change their training depending on the season?